New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-29
PROTECTING MUSEUM TREASURES
HOW THE ART COLLECTIONS ARE GUARDED

nON lnE AK COLlIECIlONS AXE
a sharp ringing of the telephone in tho police office
In the Arsenal in Central Park the other evening
brough out Captain Beatte the white bearded veteran
VINO has charge OF tho park police The sergeant mad
answered the call and he turned from the instru-
ment Captain BE itie asked Sergeant, was that call
from the Art Museum !"
Yes, SIR replied the officer "They notified me
that they were just closing up for the night"
Captain Beattis returned to his private office
explaining 70 TRIBUNE reporter.there the manner in
winch the museums in Central Park nre protected
Both the Museum OF Art and the Museum of Natural
History have policemen detailed for duty in the build
ings day and night, in addition to their own watch
men, and on holidays receptionday larger details
are made. Besides this, by means of the telephones
to the police headquarters in the Arsenal officers can
be summoned at few moments notice. In the
Museum OF Natural History on the west side OF the
Park the need OF protection is comparatively small.
There many articles Of value in the collections,
Int gang of thieves would to take great risk
for the sake of carrying away bulky mass OF stuffed
birds. skeletons minerals woods. The difficulty Of
disposing OF such articles If successfully removed
IRON -he building would be too great
1t ~ not so with the Museum of Art" observed
Captain Eeattie, and we keep close watch on 1t At
all times. The building stands away from the street
IN the park and at distance from any no lso.
Its collections treasures that could not be re-
placed and the jewels end gems articles OF silver and
gold could 1e disposed OF readily don't think that
any tibet would attempC to carry oil that large
picture Of tho Horse Fair or t"e Ste art picture
OF 1907 They may be worth 100000 apiece.
but thieves don't take much interest work OF art
when 10 is as big the Whole side OF a room What
would interest them most would be the small articles
that they could put away in their pockets easily.
Then there is that big wine tank solid silver, all
carved; it would DO great temptation TO q thief
though he might just as well try carry away small
sale ioF the tank weighs hundreds OF pounds. IL
would be clover field Tor thieves TO get into the
briluinc for an hour and haze everything 70 them
selves. They could secure several independent fort
uncs."
as there any possibility that such attempt could
succeed -
- Not now" replied Captain Bcattie. g. ny more
than there Is chance that burglars could .get into
The Subrreasrry building in Walst. There are five
wstchmen n The Museum at night and each of them
Is armed with brace of heavy reyolyers before q
gang of thieves got through with them, there would
be dozen policemen on hand reldf TO tackle them.
A little more than year ago there was deliberate
md well planned attempt to break into the Museum.
Nothing was ever said about IT, because tho plan was
discovered and defeated. There were not many
valuable articles in the Museum then and not SO
large force TO watch It, Afterward General di
Ccsnoln increased the Of at,en1ants Of night
" How was the plan discovered -
Why IL appears that Il was arranged between two
or three old thieves who had just served out terms in
Sing sing They were hard up and it occurred TO
TO dh,o mp in wagon near the building at night,
get 10 and Oyerpowor the guard and then carry OF
The most valuable things they could lay hold Of
Thoy did not intend 10 melt down anything hut 10
take the plumber away somc distance and when a
reward was offered they would negotiate for its re-
turn Some OF them visited the Museum during the
day and went all around inspecting the cases ana
noting such articles a. they would like best Ihey
wero observed by OF the attendants who sus-
peoted them and kept al eye OF thcn oil the time,
but Of course IL was rot known what thor designs
we're. Before tho plan rpc OF the fellows got
into some trouble III the city and was arrested and
sent over 20 tho Island. He mad with his accom-
plices they did not help him out, perhaps
he thought they intended 20 do the job themselves,
20 ne gave the whole story - tho authorities. Word
was sect 10 Park Commissioner Crimmins aud he
informed lienera IL C~-nola An extra tOrcs was
PLACED inside the Museum Mt night and stationed
halt n dozen policemen outside under cOve- and az
shot or signal from the building they were to close
in around II ntd 10 arrest any one they found near
the Museum. We kent no this watch for nearly
month until We lolt sure the plan had boon aoan-
dOned.p
"You did not capture any Of the thievesp
"No they were 100 shy and seemed TO nave sns
pectei the trap their courage gave out at tho last
munent | think they got an icea that they were
watched. On the second OF third night after we had
put on the special detail, an old country wagon
drove across Fitth-aYt. and into the transverse
Road iu,t below tho Museum about l O'Clock it
stopped thore and ouc tho policemen alter watch
I'M ID little went over 10 seq the yehiole. IL was
farmers wagon with some garden truck IN H. There
was a boz in charge who appeared 10 have fallen
as,eep. llO said that ho WAS going down with the
wagon to CianseyOort Market the officer let MIN 60
Several days later heard IRON q municipal pOhco.
man on Eilhtl-aYe. that the same wagon stoDped
out.ide the park OF the West Sde and after waiting
there soLie time three up aud got into the
wagon which drove away down town. very hhcIy
those the thieves and the wagon Was What they
INTENDED 10 carry Of their plumber in They gave 1t
NJ n a bad joh and think Il would be worse under
taking tor them il trial wsre made now"